Opposition politician Guy Joseph is facing mounting criticism over his remarks about a proposal in the 2025–2026 national budget to allocate $250 000 to providing sanitary napkins in schools.
Former Economic Development Minister and United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Guy Joseph had come under fire for the comments made during the opposition’s Sunday Live broadcast.
Joseph, who will contest the Castries South-East seat, questioned the initiative’s merit, suggesting it reflected the country’s socio-economic decline. “When a country has gotten to a point where mothers cannot buy pads for their daughters, it tells me my country has sank below the line,” he declared.
He further asked what options students might have if they were at home without access to menstrual products. However, it was his more pointed comments, now widely circulated online, that drew sharp criticism.
In a rhetorical exchange directed at Education Minister Shawn Edward, Joseph asked: “Now Shawn, I’m asking you this question, as a man, not a lady that’s the minister of education – will the schools have to report to you so you can know how many young women in the schools got their periods during the time that they were in school? And do you have sinister motives for trying to find out how many young women can afford pads in the schools?”
The remarks prompted swift condemnation from government officials during Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing.
Minister for Equity and Social Justice Joachim Henry called Joseph’s statements “deeply troubling”. “
The statement made by Guy Joseph must be strongly condemned and rebuked,” Henry said, noting that teachers, including his own daughter, have often assisted students unable to afford menstrual products.
“Our aspiration is to create a society where vulnerable people are supported, where students know that even if they don’t have, they are cared for,” he continued.
Virginia Albert-Poyotte, Minister for the Public Service and Gender Affairs, voiced full support for the budgetary provision.
“Some students stay away from school because they do not have sanitary napkins,” she said. “This means they’re losing significant instructional time, affecting their education.”
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education Dr Pauline Antoine-Prospere, a former school principal, also criticised Joseph’s comments, calling them “irresponsible and insensitive”.
She noted that girls often experience their first period at school, where teachers serve as first responders.
Addressing Joseph’s remarks about the education minister’s gender, Antoine-Prospere emphasised that the ministry employs many capable women.
“The allocation… is not a luxury – it is a necessity,” she said. “It’s about fairness, health, equal opportunity and access to education.”
I am reposting his quote directly from the article – first and foremost I am neither SLP nor UWP. However, the statement in itself is an embarrassment and in addition the gentleman is inarticulate and that’s a crying shame for anyone who wants to run for public office. OMG
In a rhetorical exchange directed at Education Minister Shawn Edward, Joseph asked: “Now Shawn, I’m asking you this question, as a man, not a lady that’s the minister of education – will the schools have to report to you so you can know how many young women in the schools got their periods during the time that they were in school? And do you have sinister motives for trying to find out how many young women can afford pads in the schools?”
My beloved party UWP.
What are we doing with Guy and Chastenet?
They are totally against anything good for our country.
Just ask Guy Joseph to apologize and move on, instead of seeking political mileage from his statement. Now if the current administration wants the vote of private sector workers they need to put 2 more dollars on the minimum wage to make it 8:52 an hour or else private sector workers should just not vote…
Them recycling politicians have no ideas nothing to offer u should’ve stayed as a minibus driver GUy
Any one who is barren will never know the relevance of the cycle of females. It’s a shame for my cousin Guy to talk so much nonesense. Please Guy as a 7 day stop it.
I’m not sure if Mr. Joseph’s statement is miscommunicated or otherwise. Reading his statement addressed to minister Shawn, the first part seems to have much merit. How are you going to know who can afford and who can’t. We need to understand that anytime money is allocated to make the lives of persons more comfortable; there must be full accountability; you want to know that you’re meeting the right target. One needs to understand the sensitivity involved in obtaining the kind of information. As a teacher for over two decades, I can attest to the fact that getting that type of data can be demoralizing. Annually, students on the book program from M.O.E are being ridiculed whenever their classmates see the ministry’s stamp on the books. It’s not about implementing the project. I fully endorse the initiative. My query is whether those who genuinely need it will benefit. Trust me, I have seen too many school bags and other items given to schools and only for them to be in the wrong hands. Pathetic. Indeed our country is lacking empathy!
Even a 2 year old can make more intelligent statements than this man. For this man to make such a statement on a public platform is beyond disgraceful. This statement was just of poor taste and there is no defending such. The level of intellect of some of these politicians frightens me.
Mr. Guy Joseph displayed ignorance and backwardness. He is an irrelevant and out-of-touch politician. He is a relic of ancient times. How can a prominent politician espouse such insensitive views on a critical matter of public health. Guy has just shot himself in the foot.
@ Anse La Raye Constitu……..You are Fake Teacher! Anyone who has taught primary school or secondary school knows the struggles of young women as it relates to that time of month. This thing doesnt discriminate by income status or wealth of families–it comes unexpecataedly for 6th Graders and Early Form Secondary school students ( who knows, KFC must be changing children genetics because now I am hearing as young as 8 years). And accidents happen, many many many many many times in one day at any school. So Why not have it stored at schools- used during emergencies and for obviously financially struggling students ( teachers know them).
Now at My Guy— I Know he is head strong/ ignorant and lacks cognitive desires to retract or apologize but wha….his statements are highly extreme and even hurtful to men who have children ( young girls). It is disgraceful, disrespectful and demeaning to all women- doesnt he have a wife or girlfriend or a female in his life? How could a grown man be so insensitive to something that is so natural, something the God almighty blessed women with all for the gift of new life! How could he not see an attempt to assist young girls instead of the alleged sinister motive of the Minister of Education? Where is his party to condemn this act?
Well said George!
I have never commented before but have been reading the comments. I thought I should add my 2 cents to what seems to be making waves in the country. Providing sanitary napkins to students at secondary schools is not a novel idea. This thing has been happening since I was a student at school over 30 years ago. I’ve been a secondary school teacher for the past 30 years and this is common practice at not just the school I teach at but all secondary schools on island. Hence I didn’t see the need to make the government proposal of additional funding to schools an issue. The real issue I have is not that the funding will be made available but the backlash it would cause.
We are dealing with adolescence here and the fact that they know that government is providing it most of them will stop coming to get it when it is needed. For all these educators in the government they should be aware of this. These adolescence will ask teachers, ancillary staff or friends if they don’t have something to eat or stay hungry for the day but they would not go to the welfare committee to get lunch provided to them free of charge. That’s the pride that they display. The school provides these sanitary napkins free but they would ask other students for before they go to the office or when they are going to the office they do so, so secretly for others not to observe. The government pronouncement might just shy them away.
Lastly I want to say that most girls carry pads to school even when they are not menstruating and the majority of parents today take that responsibility seriously. For my teaching experience, girls miss school during menstruation mainly due to the illness associated with it and not because of not having pads.
@First time commenting Stop your Majee hold yuh….Anyway, go back with that nonsense “ hence no need for the government to make additional funding for schools” the whole issue I have is not with he funding but the backlash it may cause “. Where is that backlash directed to ??? It’s not at the he governments proposed allocation for this common sense approach, the backlash is at the vulgar overtures from that man (I will not say his name he is not worthy of my breath). Some has come here with their simplistic audacity to minimize this man’s slackness as non schlock, the nerves, the absolute shame of it. Weather parents provide for their children there are those that may have not and accidents do happen in schools.
@First time commenting – your post speaks volumes. It’s both an embarrassment and a pride issue to say the least.
O my God is that an issue to talk about or rather help and keep our mouths shut…
Wow… This is what makes it as important matters in our country. This is a non issue. There’s no negative side to the govt assisting the female students in this manner. Announcing it and opposing it for political mileage is just shameless. Let’s discuss matters that really and truly affect us all. The road situation… The crime situation… The fuel price situation…. Cost of food at the supermarkets…
Is that something really worth talking about when there are much more serious issues affecting our country? Rather focus on that state crime and the state of health.#nonsense
Guy Joseph’s remarks about the government’s initiative to provide sanitary napkins to schoolgirls are not only tone-deaf but betray a deep lack of understanding about both public health and social equity. The proposal to allocate $250,000 in the 2025–2026 national budget to menstrual health is a progressive and humane measure that recognizes the dignity and well-being of young girls, many of whom miss school due to lack of access to menstrual products. As health professionals have long emphasized, menstrual equity is a matter of public health, education, and gender justice. Joseph’s insinuation that the policy signals Saint Lucia’s decline is not just misinformed—it is an insult to the realities of low-income families and to the efforts of teachers who have quietly shouldered this burden for years. His attempt to inject suspicion and innuendo into what is a compassionate, gender-sensitive policy reveals a disturbing blend of ignorance and political opportunism.
Worse yet, Joseph’s comments echo his previous admission of distrust in Saint Lucia’s own health system—an ironic position for someone who once held ministerial power but did little to strengthen it. Instead of building capacity or expanding access, his tenure and that of his party were defined by hostility toward the media and defensiveness in the face of public accountability. His latest tirade is more than a political misstep; it exposes the rot within the United Workers Party, of which Joseph remains a symbol. In a country yearning for leaders who act with empathy and vision, Guy Joseph represents a regressive force—one that has grown increasingly irrelevant. If current trends hold, he will not only lose the Castries South-East seat in the next general election, he will do so in a landslide, rejected by a citizenry that has outgrown his brand of antagonistic politics and empty provocations.